If your iPhone won’t turn off, you may be concerned that your iPhone broken and that, eventually, your phone’s battery will run out. These are both valid problems. An iPhone stuck on is a rare situation, but if this is happening to you, you need to understand what is going on so you can know how to fix it.
Reasons why your iPhone won’t turn off
The most likely reasons why your iPhone won’t turn off are:
- It crashed due to software issues.
- Button Sleep/Wake not works.
- The screen is broken and does not respond to pressing. In this case, go directly to step 4 below.
These instructions apply to all iPhone models. Any differences between iOS versions are listed below.
How to fix an iPhone that won’t turn off
Before trying any of these steps, first try using standard way to turn off iPhone . For newer models, hold down the Sleep/Wake button and then swipe the Power off slider. If you have an older iPhone, press and hold the side button and the volume down button until a slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone.
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Hard reset your iPhone .
The first and easiest way to turn off an iPhone that won’t turn off is to use a technique called a hard reset. This is very similar to the standard way to turn your iPhone on and off, but it is a more complete reset of the device and its memory. Don’t worry, you won’t lose any data. Use a hard reset only if your iPhone won’t restart in another way
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Enable AssistiveTouch.
This is a useful trick that is most useful, if the physical home button on your phone is broken and cannot be used to reset the phone. In this situation, you need to do it with software. AssistiveTouch is a feature built into the iPhone that displays a software version of the home button on the screen.
See instructions below to enable AssistiveTouch.
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Restore your iPhone from a backup .
If a hard reset and AssistiveTouch didn’t fix the problem, the problem is likely with the software on your phone and not the hardware.
It’s hard for the average person to know if it’s an issue with iOS or an app you’ve installed, so it’s best to restore your iPhone from a backup . In this case, all data and settings will be transferred from your phone, deleted, and then reinstalled to give you a fresh start. It won’t solve all problems, but it will fix a lot.
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Contact Apple Support.
If none of these steps solved your problem and your iPhone still won’t turn off, your problem may be larger or much more complicated than what you can solve at home. It’s time to bring in the experts: Apple.
You can get phone support from Apple (fee will apply if your phone is no longer under warranty). Check Apple support phone list here.
You can also contact the Apple Store for personal assistance. If you prefer this, be sure in advance make an appointment at the Apple Genius bar . There’s a lot of demand for tech support in the Apple Store, and without an appointment, you’ll probably have to wait a long time to talk to someone.
How to enable AssistiveTouch on your iPhone
AssistiveTouch puts a virtual home button on your screen. It’s designed for people with physical conditions who find it hard to press a button, but it can also help with an unresponsive iPhone.
